Book Review of Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian

Submitted by Adults on Wed, 10/30/2013 - 09:38

I love Chris Bohjalian (it is pronounce BO-JAHL-IAN, I have been pronouncing it wrong all along!) and listened to this audiobook since it was voted one of the best audiobooks of 2012 by Library Journal. It was interesting, told by 2 narrators, Mark Bramhall tells the part of the main character, and a Alison Fraser portrays everyone else in the story. The premise is that an airplane pilot, named Chip takes down a troubled plane, killing all but 9 people on board (That leaves 39 dead.) Unlike Sully Sullivan and his famous feat where he ditched the plane in the Hudson in real life and all 155 passengers were safe.

He is so bothered and has such PTSD that he becomes possessed by 3 of the dead passengers. He sees and hears and feels the pains from the wounds of a woman, a father, and his young daughter. The father insists his daughter is lonely and needs friends and Chip begins to plot to kill one of his twin daughters or maybe both.

Add to this concoction, a herbalist coven feeding everyone tinctures and special herbs (not to mention they are infatuated with Chips twins and plan to use them in some bizarre ritual) , a mysterious door in the basement bolted with 39 carriage bolts, voices in the night, a creepy house in the middle of nowhere, and a daughter with seizures and you have quite an event driven story.

Not a typical Bohjalian title, but interesting with multiple plot lines running throughout the story, makes this a complex story to listen to. Fans of horror who read Stephen King and Peter Straub would like this book.